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Brunch in Madison: The Best of the Best

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

What’s the best meal of the day? Brunch, of course. If you’re a die-hard basic bruncher like me, there are a couple of winners to hit up around Madison. You’ll be going back time and time again to these cute cafes to taste-test every item on the menu. Be sure to make your way to one of these spots next Sunday morning!

The Bassett Street Brunch Club – 444 W Johnson St, Madison, WI 

The Bassett Street Brunch Club is your quintessential place for brunch—all day breakfast menu but open late into the night. Anything on the menu is guaranteed to taste amazing—but first you’ve got to get a table. Although the Bassett Street Brunch club is a decent size, be prepared to wait at least half an hour for a table (or even longer on a game day) on the weekend at primetime! Some of the local favorites are the Pork Carnitas Hash or the Savory French Toast (tried, tested and definitely a winner). There are also the Eggs Benedicto or the Breakfast Burrito, seen in the picture above, which look amazing! They also sell a veritable fortune of donuts in interesting flavors for $1.50 a pop. Small print in the very bottom corner of the menu informs you that “these bad boys are ½ off after 8:30pm” so BSBC could be your new go-to for a late night snack. The prices are reasonable, as the meals are large and delicious. If you can’t finish, just get a box to go!

Short Stack Eats – 301 W Johnson St, Madison, WI

Short Stack Eats is a favorite among Madison locals. If you haven’t been there yet, you better get your booty there ASAP. Pancake stacks are their specialty, and if you’re craving them at 2am after a big night, Short Stack is open 24/7 Thursday – Sunday to serve you deliciousness. Be wary of peak time on weekend mornings, because there will be a line out the door! Short Stack is known for their Sweet Potato Oatmeal Stack, and if you’re the risk-taking type, there’s the Blind Special too for $6.95. Enjoy the surprise!

The Sunroom Café – 638 State Street, Madison, WI

The Sunroom Café is a quaint upstairs cafe that looks down over State Street. It’s cosy with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options and a short wait time. Another perk for all the college students are its low prices—all breakfast meals were priced around $6.95 or less. Omelettes and scrambled eggs are a common feature of the breakfast menu, with the Florentine Omelette as a prominent favorite.

Bradbury’s Coffee – 127 N Hamilton St, Madison, WI

Bradbury’s Coffee is crepe and coffee central! They have sweet and savory options—both of which rotate on a regular basis depending on the produce available at the time. The Lamb and Kale crepe is delicious if you’re willing to make the walk to the other side of Capitol! It’s a small joint with limited seating, but its cute, hipster vibe makes it worth going to if you time it right! J

There are so many great brunch options in Madison! This is just a small segment of some of the favorites, and if you haven’t tried them out already, treat yourself to some good food and company. You’ll feel better for it! 

This Aussie badger is 19, studying abroad and loving it! I'm only here for a little while but I plan to make the most of it and give you every insight on what it means to be an "Aussie badger" :) read my articles for the full info!
Madison is a senior at the University of Wisconsin pursuing a major in English Literature with minors in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media Studies. Post college, Madison plans to complete her dreams of being the next Anna Wintour. In her free time, Madison enjoys listening to Eric Hutchinson, eating dark chocolate, and FaceTiming her puppies back home. When she isn't online shopping, or watching YouTube bloggers (ie Fleur DeForce), Madison loves exploring the vast UW Campus and all it has to offer! She is very excited to take this next step in her collegiette career as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief for HC Wisco. On Wisconsin!